Rift within Karnataka Congress as Yeddyurappa returns as BJP head

Former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa, who has been appointed the head of the BJP in Karnataka, did not even fire his first salvo, and the Congress in the state is already facing factionalism with three groups formed within the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC).

The Congress is aware of Yeddyurappa's clout and power, as the undisputed leader of the largest community (Lingayats) in Karnataka. He single-handedly brought the party to power and went on to become the CM in 2008.

No Congress leader enjoys the Lingayat community backing as that of Yeddyurappa. Consequently, they want the Congress to appoint a Vokkaliga (second largest community) as the KPCC president to take on Yeddyurappa.

A day after the BJP announced Yeddyurappa as the new leader of the party in Karnataka, state's Animal Husbandry Minister A Manju (Vokkaliga) and several other community leaders formed a group and proposed the name of Energy Minister DK Shivakumar for the post of the KPCC president. Last month, there was some movement to appoint Shivakumar as the KPCC head, but it was delayed in view of the charges against him. Now, Manju and over 15 MLAs in the Congress are rallying behind Shivakumar for the KPCC president's post.

Another faction led by MLA ST Somashekar has openly rebelled against Siddaramaiah. Somashekar and another 20+ ministerial aspirants want Siddaramaiah to undertake a Cabinet reshuffle and appoint new faces as ministers. According to them, some of the ministers have not performed well and it could affect the Congress' prospects in the next Assembly elections due in two years.

"It has been 3 years since we came to power in Karnataka. All of us are equally responsible for decimating the BJP in the last elections. Siddaramaiah should drop 25 ministers from the Council of Cabinet and accommodate youngsters like us. There are several of us waiting to prove the mettle. This way we can counter the BJP's game-plan," said Somashekar, who is leading a delegation to New Delhi to meet the party High Command. Former ministers Dr. A B Maalakaraddy, K B Koliwada, Maalikkayya V Guttedar, R V Devaraj, and MLAs K N Rajanna, M Krishnappa, and Shivananada Patil are among those backing this faction.

But the Siddaramaiah camp is opposed to both the factions - one seeking appointment of a Vokkaliga as the KPCC president and the other demanding Cabinet reshuffle. The supporters of Siddaramaiah are of the view that both demands are undermining the capabilities of Siddaramaiah. "Our leader (Siddaramaiah) is capable of leading the party in the next elections. We do not want any parallel power centre. Yeddyurappa's appointment should not evoke such knee-jerk reaction in the Congress," Siddaramaiah's aides contended.

It is known to all that Siddaramaiah's popularity as a CM is declining day-by-day. Political analysts are of the view that Siddaramaiah is handing over Karnataka on a platter to the BJP by ignoring administration that should have been people-friendly and development-oriented.

"If Yeddyurappa's appointment as the BJP head in Karnataka can create so much unrest in the Congress, one can understand the predicament once the former CM hits the road. The Congress will have to get its strategy right from now on. Otherwise it will be too late for the Congress in Karnataka," remarked political analyst and historian Dr. A Veerappa.

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